{{Short description|Genus of birds}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Tailorbird | image = Orthotomus sutorius.jpg | image_caption = Common tailorbirds (''Orthotomus sutorius'') | taxon = Orthotomus | authority = Horsfield, 1821 | type_species = ''Orthotomus sepium'' | type_species_authority = Horsfield, 1821 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text }}
'''Tailorbirds''' are small birds, most belonging to the genus '''''Orthotomus'''''. While they were often placed in the Old World warbler family Sylviidae, recent research suggests they more likely belong in the Cisticolidae and they are treated as such in Del Hoyo et al.<ref>{{cite book |editor=Del Hoyo, J. |editor2=Elliot, D. |editor3=Christie A. |year=2008 |title=Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 11: Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers |publisher=Lynx Edicions, Barcelona |isbn=978-84-96553-42-2}}</ref> One former species, the mountain tailorbird (and therefore also its sister species rufous-headed tailorbird), is actually closer to an old world warbler genus ''Cettia''.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Alström |first=Per |author2=Ericson, P.G.P. |author3=Olsson, U. |author4= Sundberg, P. |year=2006 |title=Phylogeny and classification of the avian superfamily Sylvioidea |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=381–397 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.015 |pmid=16054402|bibcode=2006MolPE..38..381A}}</ref>
They occur in the Old World tropics, principally in Asia.{{cn|date=March 2026}}
These warblers are usually brightly colored, with green or grey upper parts and yellow white or grey under parts. They often have chestnut on the head.{{cn|date=March 2026}}
thumb|Tailorbird baby and nest
Tailorbirds have short rounded wings, short tails, strong legs and long curved bills. The tail is typically held upright, like a wren. They are typically found in open woodland, scrub and gardens.{{cn|date=March 2026}}
Tailorbirds get their name from the way their nest is constructed. The edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider's web to make a cradle in which the actual grass nest is built.{{cn|date=March 2026}}
==Taxonomy== The genus ''Orthotomus'' was introduced in 1821 by the American naturalist Thomas Horsfield to include a single species, ''Orthotomus sepium'' Horsfield, 1821, the olive-backed tailorbird. This is therefore the type species of the genus by monotypy.<ref>{{ cite journal | last=Horsfield | first=Thomas | author-link=Thomas Horsfield | year=1821 | title=Systematic arrangement and description of birds from the island of Java | journal=Transactions of the Linnean Society | volume=13 | issue=1 | pages=133–200 [165-166] | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/754898 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Cottrell | editor2-first=G. William | year=1986 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=11 | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | location=Cambridge, Massachusetts | pages=173-174 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14483874 }}</ref> The genus name is from Ancient Greek ορθος/''orthos'' meaning "straight" and τομευς/''tomeus'', τομεως/''tomeōs'' meaning "knife" or "edge".<ref>{{ cite web | last=Jobling | first=James A. | title=Orthotomus | work=The Key to Scientific Names | url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/key-to-scientific-names/search?q=Orthotomus | publisher=Cornell Lab of Ornithology | access-date=28 July 2025 }}</ref>
==Species== The genus contains 13 species:<ref name=ioc>{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | editor3-last=Rasmussen | editor3-first=Pamela | editor3-link=Pamela C. Rasmussen | date=February 2025 | title=Grassbirds, Donacobius, tetrakas, cisticolas, allies | work=IOC World Bird List Version 15.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/grassbirds/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=26 March 2025}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! Image !! Common name !! Scientific name !! Distribution |- |120px|| Common tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus sutorius'' ||China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, and Vietnam |- |120px|| Dark-necked tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus atrogularis'' ||Bangladesh, Northeast India, and Southeast Asia |- | || Cambodian tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus chaktomuk''<ref>{{cite journal|last=Mahood|first=S. P.|title=A new species of lowland tailorbird (Passeriformes: Cisticolidae: Orthotomus ) from the Mekong floodplain of Cambodia|journal=Forktail|year=2013|volume=29|pages=1–14|url=http://orientalbirdclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TAILORBIRD_Forktail_29pp1-14.pdf|display-authors=etal}}</ref> ||Cambodia |- | || Visayan tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus castaneiceps'' ||Philippines |- | || Green-backed tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus chloronotus'' || Philippines |- | || Rufous-fronted tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus frontalis'' || eastern Philippines |- | || Grey-backed tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus derbianus'' ||Philippines (Palawan, Luzon, and Catanduanes) |- |120px || Rufous-tailed tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus sericeus'' ||Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand |- |120px|| Ashy tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus ruficeps'' ||Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam |- |120px || Olive-backed tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus sepium''||Indonesia (Java, Madura Island, Bali and Lombok) |- | || Yellow-breasted tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus samarensis'' ||Philippines |- | || Black-headed tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus nigriceps'' ||Philippines (Mindanao, Dinagat, and Siargao) |- | || White-eared tailorbird|| ''Orthotomus cinereiceps'' ||Philippines (Basilan and West Mindanao) |- |}
Two species moved to the Cettiidae: * Mountain tailorbird, ''Phyllergates cucullatus'' * Rufous-headed tailorbird, ''Phyllergates heterolaemus''
==References== <references/>
==Further reading== {{refbegin}} * The New Student's Reference Work/Tailor-Bird * Baker, Kevin. ''Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa''. (2007). {{ISBN|0-7136-3971-7}} * Ryan, Peter (2006). Family Cisticolidae (Cisticolas and allies). Pp. 378–492 in del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Christie, D.A. (editors). (2006). ''Handbook of the Birds of the World''. Volume 11. ''Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers''. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. {{ISBN|978-84-96553-06-4}} {{refend}}
==External links== *[http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=057A4799FD1E121E Call of the common tailorbird]
{{Passerida|S.|state=collapsed}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q18340387}}
Category:Cisticolidae Category:Orthotomus Category:Birds of Southeast Asia